The Japanese government has agreed on new measures to create a better environment for foreign nationals to live and work in the country.
The move follows the enactment of a bill to launch a new training program for foreign workers. The aim is to have trainees acquire the status of "specified skilled workers" in three years, in principle.
The government held a meeting of relevant ministers on Friday. They revised a roadmap through fiscal 2026 to realize what they call a "society of harmonious coexistence" with foreign nationals.
The new roadmap says prospective foreign trainees should receive support for studying Japanese before they arrive.
It calls on firms that accept trainees to explore ways to actively help them improve their language skills.
The government will also put the necessary system in place to ensure that the new training program works smoothly.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa said Japan should aim for a society where Japanese and foreign nationals can respect each other and live safely, side by side.
Hayashi also asked the ministers to lay the necessary groundwork for foreign nationals to choose Japan as an attractive place to work.